July 2010 Issue 2, Vol. 1

CCCURRENTS QQQUARTERLY

Inside this issue: From the Bridge From the Bridge 1 2009 Report Card Welcome to the quarterly We had a very

Spotlight on His- 2 combined newsletter for interesting partner tory Creekwatchers and friends meeting this month of the Alliance. Things are looking at the future Program Update 3 busy on the river despite dredging project on the Volunteer Corner 4 the heat. This weekend will Nanticoke near Seaford. be unveiling of Delaware’s This discussion looks John Smith Water Trail Map like it is just the Upcoming Events and Guide at the annual beginning, and we hope

Seaford Riverfest. to revisit the topic in Photo Stan Shedaker, Adrenaline High Spearheaded by Delawares future partner meetings. Wednesday, July 14th Department of Natural We try to hold 4-6 partner Finally, the report card “Bass Fishing on the Resources and meetings a year to for the Nanticoke is Pocomoke River” Environmental Control, the provide the opportunity here. This has been Lecture Alliance has helped with the for the Partners in quite a labor, and we Delmarva Discovery development of this guide Conservation to discuss look forward to sharing Center, and we are extremely issues in the watershed. the results with you, Pocomoke, MD excited to see the final Sometimes these now you can compare copies roll off the press. conversations are difficult, the “grade” of this river Wednesday, July 21st You can check out the new but they are always to other rivers in the New and Beginning maps at the Alliance booth valuable. To find out more Chesapeake. Farmer Interest at Riverfest and get a copy about partner meetings Meeting online from DNREC or at visit our webpage or give Stay Wicomico Farm the Alliance office in us a call. cool Extension Office Vienna. Salisbury, MD

Tuesday, August 10th 2010 Report Card to be Released Soon! New and Beginning The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance will soon be releasing the very first Nanticoke River Farmer Interest Report Card. Partnering with Eco-Check, the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance has Meeting developed a report card that will provide a more meaningful interpretation of the Wicomico Farm information our Creekwatchers collect. It also serves as a great tool for comparison— Extension Office how well we are doing compared other rivers throughout the Chesapeake Bay Salisbury, MD Watershed. To calculate our overall “grades, we divided the watershed into two main areas—the mainstem of the Nanticoke and the creeks that feed into it. These two broad regions each got an overall grade, but we also calculated grades for individual To check out more sections of the river—Upper Nanticoke, Lower Nanticoke, Headwaters, Broad Creek, Marshyhope Creek, Lower Creeks, and Fishing Bay. Overall, the grades look good, events, visit the which is an indication the Nanticoke River remains pretty healthy. However, we did Nanticoke Watershed identify some potential areas for concern that may guide our future conservation and Alliance's website at restoration efforts. Stay tuned for the official report card release—you can check our www.nanticokeriver.org website at www.nanticokeriver.org for updates. We can’t wait to share the results!

Page 2

Spotlight on History: The Nanticoke River Fur Trade By Jess Reeves

Imagine being one of the first of natives, because the furs were so Europeans to sail the Nanticoke , desired throughout Europe and recovering. After years of and the first to view the lush merchants were making immense overhunting and habitat marshlands in a land completely amounts of revenue. destruction, they have again begun virgin and pure. We cannot possibly to prosper all along the river, conceive the amazement By the early 1700’s, the beaver showing the importance of experienced by settlers and population along that Nanticoke preserving the Nanticoke not only explorers in the 17 th century, but and throughout the Chesapeake for us, but for the creatures we they clearly saw potential in the region began to feel the pinch of share it with. areas around the river because they overharvesting. In addition, new soon began to settle along its banks. markets were opening up along During the 17 th century, vast areas the Great Lakes to provide more of North America were being fur to Europe and lowering prices. explored by Europeans who soon With fewer furs left in the began to look for ways to make a Nanticoke region and an excess of profit off this land. Exporting raw furs being exported from other materials became primary economic portions of North America, farming engine of the New World, and for began to replace fur trading as the those living along the Eastern Shore primary. Merchants in the of the Chesapeake, beaver pelts Nanticoke region quickly lost their were the main source of income source of income and their during that earliest period of importance throughout Europe European settlement. because they could not provide large quantities of pelts and the When Europeans first arrived, they pelts were no longer as found an east coast of North expensive. In response to the America full of raw materials and declining demand, Lord Calvert fertile land, and from their decided to open the Maryland perspective, all of it was up for the peninsula to a tobacco settlement, taking. The settlers in the Nanticoke giving birth to a new era in land Watershed area quickly discovered use along the Nanticoke. beaver pelts were desirable by wealthy individuals throughout Tobacco farms took up land that Europe, and in response, fur was originally reserved for Native Jess merchants began to emerge Americans and fur trading, a Reeves is an English major at throughout the region. Although the situation which became a problem Salisbury University and will be fur trade of the Nanticoke does not for both the Europeans and the interning with the Nanticoke compare to the mass fortunes Natives. The incoming Europeans Watershed Alliance through the acquired through tobacco farming were less inclined to trade with the summer. that would follow, for certain natives and viewed them as a adventurous individuals living along threat not a business partner. the Chesapeake, fur trade provided This led to hostile relations as a way to acquire a personal fortune. Natives began to lose their land while gaining nothing in return. Beaver pelts were responsible for Although the Natives had helped the first trade agreements between the Europeans for years, the new the European settlers and the Native tobacco settlers sought to claim Americans of the Nanticoke region. traditional hunting grounds and The natives knew the land and were villages to expand farming able to track and capture beavers operations. Relations quickly more quickly and efficiently then soured between the two groups, Europeans who were new to the resulting in numerous conflicts shores of the Nanticoke. It became and court cases. The Native much safer and more effective to Americans of the Nanticoke trade with the natives then to eventually vanished into the actually go hunting for beavers. The marshes. Some headed north to Native Americans were given Pennsylvania and eventually European goods in return for the Canada, while others remained on pelts they delivered; most commonly the Eastern Shore, adapting parts textiles, guns, and metal tools. of European culture. Throughout the 17 th century, Today, the beaver population merchants were generous with the all along the watershed is slowly Page 3 John Smith Water Trail

In 2006, the National Park and kayaking to educational adventures and experiences Service launched the programs on the Native to the general public and Captain John Smith Americans living along the help improve awareness of “If you want one year of prosperity, plant corn. Chesapeake Historical Trail. river as well as information the Chesapeake The trail encompasses 3,000 on the health of the watershed’s historical, If you want ten years of prosperity, plant trees. miles of Virginia, Maryland, Chesapeake and its recreational, and and Delaware with trails that tributaries. On July 10 th , a environmental significance. If you want one hundred years of prosperity, follow routes based on the new trail will be launched in For more information visit educate people." maps and written accounts Delaware at 2pm on the the Captain John Smith Trail — Chinese proverb . left behind by Captain John Nanticoke River Bridge in website at Smith. In addition to diverse Seaford, stretching through www.smithtrail.net trails, the foundation offers a 26 miles of Sussex County. variety of different This addition to the trail will experiences from canoeing help to bring Smith’s

Nanticoke River Wade In

The Nanticoke River Wade In, Alliance and Lower Shore The children also explored the organized by the Nanticoke Tributary Action wildlife of the Nanticoke with Watershed Alliance and Team sponsored the event Maryland DNR biologists and Lower Shore Tributary Action where children from the two members of the Maryland Con- Team, was the place to be for programs joined Alliance servation Corps. The day was children and adults alike on staff and other participants, capped off with a free kayaking including Maryland Dele- demonstration by Adrenaline Participants at the Nanticoke Thursday, June 24th. gate Addie Eckhardt and High, a local kayak and biking River Wade In measuring the water clarity. Youth from the Richard Hazel Local Government Liaison tourism business. Youth Center and Big Brothers for Maryland DNR Scott Big Sisters of the Lower Eastern Hymes, as they waded into If you’d like to join the Nanticoke Shore had a blast at the Nanti- the Nanticoke River to Watershed Alliance in future coke River Wade In held at Ce- measure its clarity. events, follow us on Facebook, dar Hill Marina in Tyaskin, or fill out a volunteer interest MD. The Nanticoke Watershed form on our website to receive email updates Creekwatcher Notes

Well this next sampling period will put us at quick glimpse at the data you’ve been col- just about the halfway point of the year. lecting. We’ll be sending these out to our Wow it’s flying by! Everyone seems to be Creekwatcher Volunteers along with this hitting their groove now, the data sheets are Currents Quarterly. Just so you are rolling in, and if you check your email (or aware, the information in these Sampling Youth from Big Brothers Big Sis- mailboxes for those of you without internet Spotlights are unprocessed, so it does not ters of the Lower Eastern Shore connections) you’ll find a nice little surprise. meet our EPA quality assurance protocol, but and the Salvation Army Richard it still provides a raw look at the river through We’ve decided to forgo the online data entry Hazel Youth Center getting ready the season thus far. for this season, but we have been using it in to paddle the Nanticoke with Stan Shedaker of Adrenaline High. the office to test the capabilities and put Keep up the good work crew! together the first of our Sampling Spotlights We’re planning to put three of these out -Matt throughout the season so that you can get a Alliance Partners

Allen’s Hatchery, Inc. Maryland Environmental Trust Audubon MD-DC Maryland Forests Association Chesapeake Bay Foundation MD Department of Agriculture Chicone Ruritan MD Dept. of Planning D-LITE MD Dept. of the Environment DE Dept. of Natural Resources & MD Department of Natural Resources Environmental Control Mountaire Farms Delaware BASS Federation Nanticoke Concrete Works Delmarva Discovery Center Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy, Inc Delmarva Poultry Industry Nanticoke Watershed Preservation Group, Inc. Delmarva Power NaturaLawn of America Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth NRG Energy Dorchester Farm Bureau Perdue Farms, Inc. Dorchester Soil Conservation District River Farm Eastern Shore Land Conservancy Salisbury University Envirocorp Labs Salisbury Zoological Park Friends of Blackwater Survival Products Friends of the Nanticoke River Seaford Flotilla, USCG Auxiliary Galestown Millpond Association The Conservation Fund (MD Office) Lower Shore Land Trust The Forestland Group The Nature Conservancy University of Maryland Center Visit us online at for Environmental Science www.nanticokeriver.org! U.S. National Park Service Vision Forestry, LLC Wicomico Environmental Trust

Volunteer Corner

The Nanticoke Watershed Nanticoke Ambassador: General Office Volunteer: Alliance is always looking The Nanticoke Watershed The Alliance is in need of a volunteer for individuals interested in Alliance is looking to build a to help enter data and provide joining our dedicated team team of motivated individuals general office assistance. Hours are of volunteers. We looking to learn more about flexible Monday-Friday between the currently are seeking the watershed and help hours of 9am-4pm. Duties would volunteers for the educate the general public include: clerical office work and data following programs: about the treasure we have entry. Creekwatchers: flowing through our

backyards. Duties would The Alliance is seeking include: manning the Alliance If you would like to offer some of individuals to as “on-call” outreach table at local your time and talent to the Creekwatchers to help fill in festivals, Speaking with the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, when needed throughout the general public about the please contact Matt Heim at 443- season. The Alliance will natural and cultural heritage 944-1175 or by email at provide all the training of the Nanticoke River, [email protected] necessary and the time engaging youth in commitment will be flexible educational programs. The around the volunteers Alliance will provide training schedule. and educational material to Volunteers as well as support at outreach events.